At its recent meeting, the McConnell Foundation Trustees prioritized response to the COVID-19 emergency. This included short term funding for front line organizations; social innovations designed to support civil society organizations and small businesses; and an extension to a societal transition initiative in development.
COVID-19 Montreal Emergency Fund ($1M): This fund will be disbursed to community sector organizations to support urgent projects that meet basic needs: food distribution, support for those with mental health problems or facing isolation, homelessness, vulnerable women and marginalized families, and an urban Indigenous group.
- Centraide Montreal $500K
- Click here to request funding through the Centraide Emergency Fund
- La Fondation du Grand Montréal $100K
- Click here to request funding through La Fondation du Grand Montréal
- Montreal shelters, $50K each:
- Le Bon Dieu Dans la Rue, Old Brewery Mission, Sun Youth, The Salvation Army, Welcome Hall Mission
- Mission Inclusion (formerly called L’Œuvre Léger) $100K
- Resilience Montreal $50K
COVID-19 Food Security Fund ($500K): The Foundation will disburse this fund to intermediary organizations and networks. An initial grant of $300K is being made to Breakfast Clubs of Canada for its work across Canada, with a further $200k to be decided shortly.
Supporting organizations in adapting to COVID-19 ($100K): Managing organizations through an emergency like COVID-19 is a new experience for many leaders. Through the Innoweave platform, this allocation of funds will generate a webinar series, online micro coaching services and curated resource lists related to emergency response.
COVID-19 Community Wealth Sharing Model ($100K): The COVID-19 crisis is putting thousands of small businesses in jeopardy. The Foundation’s Solutions Finance and Participatory City teams will work collaboratively with partners in three Canadian cities to test a community wealth-sharing model. It will create an on-line platform facilitating residents’ financial support for neighbourhood businesses through donations and pre-purchased goods and services.
COVID-19 Transition Places and Pathways: The EmergencE Room ($300K) COVID-19 will continue to play out for some time. It has already deepened the crises caused by climate change and rising inequality. This fund will be used to create and support a cross-sector collaborative to devise strategies and interventions for different stages of the unfolding crisis.
